Fill My Blank Page
by ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie
Summary: Running for her life, the dark rain from her eyes still falls. Breathtaking butterfly chose a dark day to live. Zack/Tifa giftfic for Valentine'sNinja.
1. Chapter 1

_**Fill My Blank Page**_

By request of Valentine'sNinja, here is the first part of a prompt-slash-giftfic. The prompt itself was a Zack/Tifa romance with Tifa as a witch and Zack as a witch hunter. I think it came out alright… so far. This is going to be at least three parts, if not, then more. I hope you like it, V-Ninja!

Title and summary are lyrics of 'Cadence of Her Last Breath' by Nightwish.

**Summary:** Running for her life, the dark rain from her eyes still falls. Breathtaking butterfly chose a dark day to live.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy VII, any of its spin-offs, or Nightwish.

* * *

_She turned over the back of the couch to address the two women standing beside the counter. She sighed. "Are you two still wasting your time on that?"_

_The older of the two looked up. "This isn't a waste… If we can figure out how to work this then we won't have to live in fear any longer!"_

_The other one kept her focus on her task. "We're really close… Luckily, we have our own personal tester…"_

_The raven-haired man pushed himself off the wall. "It is the least I could do."_

"_But…" the first girl interjected, "You're a former hunter… Don't you want to see us dead?"_

"_That desire was all a part of my biological programming. You and your sisters have saved me from that fate. I am in your debt now."_

***

Zack gave a sigh and clasped his fingers behind his head, following the blond in front of him. He hummed a tune to himself before looking up. "Hey, Cloud… You sure there's one nearby? I don't sense anything…"

Cloud glanced back over his shoulder, keeping a hand on his hefty blade and his voice at a whisper, "Yes, Zack, I'm sure. You're not exactly a full-fledged hunter… Your ability to sense is still premature."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but I still don't sense anything."

"Fine. Head home, then. I'll finish searching without you."

"You sure?"

Cloud turned to face him more fully and sighed. "Yes, I'm sure, Zack. You're probably loud enough to scare her off, anyway."

"Whatever. I'll see you back in Nibelheim, okay?"

"Yeah."

***

_A small, dark-haired girl came running into the room with an urgent expression. "We have a super-duper-omega-blowout-heaven-or-hell problem on our hands!"_

_The oldest brunette pushed her glasses up her nose. "What's wrong?"_

"_Some hunters found us… They're working behind the company's back to destroy the pillar! They're gonna drop the whole plate!"_

_The middle sister glanced up from her task and screamed, "What!?"  
_

"_It's true, I swear! I heard some humans talking about it…"_

_The oldest touched her paint brush to the soft flesh of her youngest sister. "We have to hurry, then."_

_The girl lying on the table with her shirt pulled up glanced around. "Are we going to get out quickly enough?"_

"_We better. We're almost done. Just stay still for a little longer."_

***

Zack walked along the barren roads, absently swinging his sword. _Damn it… I should've stayed in case Cloud needed my help… Sure, he never needed it before, but still… I feel bad for leaving him alone like that. He did save my life after- Huh? What's that?_

He broke into a jog to inspect the dark lump near the side of the road. Kneeling beside it, he realized it was a person and pushed the hood of their traveler's cloak back. The person's face came into sight and Zack inhaled sharply. It was a young woman, maybe a few years younger than he, with long brown hair disappearing into the back of her cloak. Her eyes were closed and her petite features looked paler than the average person's should. Thin scratches caressed her limbs and lay visible beneath torn clothing. He touched two fingers to her neck to feel for a pulse; she was still alive.

_That's always a good sign…_ he reasoned mentally. He briefly checked for broken bones before gathering her in his arms and lifting her up gently. Making his way down the street, he carried her down along the rough path towards his home in Nibelheim.

***

"_Vincent! Get them out of here!"_

_The youngest sister clawed at the dark man's grip on her. "No! Lucrecia! Shera! You can't stay!"_

_Lucrecia, the middle sister, spoke with a gentle smile, "Don't worry. We'll be fine. We're going to stop them from doing this and then we'll be right behind you, okay?"_

"_No! You have to come _now!_ Please! I… I can't do anything without you!"_

_Shera walked over and set a hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll be just fine."_

"_But-!"_

"_I told you. We're just going to stop them and then we'll be right behind you." She looked up and addressed the only man in the household, "Vincent, I'm trusting you to keep them safe. Understand?"_

_He nodded once. "Of course." He wrapped one arm around each of the two girls' waists and lifted them, carrying them to safety._

_The dark-haired girl stayed under the sleep spell Shera had cast on her while the youngest sister fought against her captor as much as she could. "No! You can't do this! I don't want to be alone!"_

***

Zack buckled his belt and made his way out of the bathroom, running a towel through his damp hair. He walked down the hall and pushed the door to his and Cloud's bedroom open. A small voice sounded from behind him, "Zack?"

He turned quickly to face the young girl. "Yeah? What's up, Marlene? Is it that girl?"

Marlene nodded, "Yup! She just woke up."

"Alright. Lemme just grab a shirt and I'll be right there, okay?"

"Okay! I'll go see if she's thirsty!"

"Yeah, you do that." He grabbed a t-shirt off the floor and pulled it over his head before turning and walking out to another bedroom. He paused at the doorway and knocked, causing the brunette sitting up in bed to turn to face him. He grinned. "Morning. You gave me quite the scare."

Her ruby eyes showed a deep fear as she mumbled, "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-!"

"Relax. Just rest. You'll be just fine, but you need to rest."

She nodded slowly. "Who are you?"

He slapped his forehead. "Oops. Sorry! I'm Zack. Zack Fair."

She looked around hesitantly. "My name is Tifa. I'm sorry to be such a burden…"

"Don't worry about it, Tifa. What happened to you?"

"I… I didn't eat enough and I… I passed out. Thank you for helping me. I owe you a great debt as of now."

"Pft!" He waved a hand in front of his face. "Don't worry about it! I'm glad to help!"

"Well, regardless, thank you."

"No problem! Just take care of yourself, okay?"

"Okay."

***

_Vincent carried them to the edge of the colossal city, keeping the sleeping girl over one shoulder and gripping the other around the waist. They watched in silence as the heavy plate supporting a fraction of the upper section started to shudder and convulse, dropping slowly towards the planet's surface. The girl screamed at the top of her lungs, "Lucrecia!!! Shera!!! No! This can't be happening…! This can't…"_

_Her silent guardian released her so she could fall to her knees, choking on her encroaching tears. He set his free hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. They should not have… I should have forced them to come with us."_

_She leaned back against his leg, sniffling against the dark fabric of his pants. "It's not your fault, Vincent…You haven't done anything wrong…"_

_His attention snapped upwards. "Hunters! Run!"_

***

"Ahh…!" he released a satisfied grunt as he stretched his back out. Zack glanced over at the other bed in the room. _Huh… I guess Cloud didn't come in last night… Wonder if he's okay. No sense worrying about him, though. Let's go see what we can dig up for breakfast!_ He stood from his bed and switched his pajamas for a pair of jeans and a tight-fitting t-shirt. Padding down the wooden flooring on bare feet, his nose picked up a particular scent: Bacon. He followed the aroma down the hall, coming to the kitchen to find a smiling brunette standing by the stove with Marlene at her side. He raised an eyebrow. "Tifa? Sure you should be up?"

She turned quickly. "Wha-? Oh, Zack, you startled me."

"Sorry." He leaned against the counter. "Didn't mean to."

She shook her head. "To answer your question, Marlene woke me up and asked for breakfast. She said you always burn the food and that everyone else was out."

He scratched the back of his head at the sound of Marlene's giggles. "That is true… But still! I can whip up a mean bowl of cereal!"

The young girl whispered loudly to the older, "He's burned oatmeal."

Tifa laughed, "Seriously?" She looked at Zack and asked, "Um… Out of curiosity, how many people live here?"

He counted off his fingers. "Lessee… Um, five… Six if we count you."

"I see. How do you… How do you all know each other, if I might ask? Is Marlene your sister?"

He grinned. "No, but I'm glad you asked! We're all hunters! Marlene, here, is Barret's daughter, so she's not a hunter, but…"

Tifa turned back to the stove. "I see."

"You don't like that?"

"It's just… I abhor violence. I don't care who's dealing it to whom…"

"I get it. I'm sorry. I won't talk about it, then."

The front door opened and two men walked in, both in their thirties, laughing all the while. Zack grinned again and called, "Morning, Barret! Morning, Reeve!"

The tall, dark-skinned one laughed harder. "Mornin', Zack!"

Marlene ran over to him. "Papa! Did you have fun last night?"

"I did! We got a lot o' work done, Reeve an' me."

"Yay!"

The other man, Reeve, caught sight of Tifa standing by the stove and asked, "And who is the lovely lady?"

Zack took the opportunity to answer, "This is Tifa. I found her on the side of the road during my trip back last night. She was unconscious, so I brought her back to fix her up."

"That was very noble of you." He turned to Tifa to introduce himself, "I am Reeve Tuesti. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She smiled and took his extended hand. "I'm Tifa…" she paused briefly, "…Lockhart. Yes, Tifa Lockhart."

***

_She pounded through the forest with Vincent at her heels while he held the small, sleeping girl in his arms. She glanced over her shoulder to search for their followers. "Do you think they're still there?"_

_He turned to her to reply, but the sound of a gunshot followed by a tree branch splintering a few inches from his head interrupted. He grunted, "I would assume so."_

_She said nothing, only pouring more speed into her legs to run through the dense forest. Shoving thin boughs away from her face, she ignored the small scratches tearing the skin on her arms and legs. Vincent ran right alongside her, hissing to her, "Go around to the right. I'll go left and we'll meet up on the other side of the thicket."_

_She nodded once. "Alright. I'll see you there, Vincent."_

***

"Zack."

Zack looked up at the sound of his name, lowering his sword to his side and wiping his brow free of sweat with the back of his hand. He spotted the blond trudging down the road with blood splattered to the right side of his body, staining his bare arm red and sticking his baggy pants to his leg. Zack grinned openly. "Heya, Cloud! How'd it go?"

Cloud looked down at his crimson-coated body and raised an eyebrow at his companion. "How do you think?"

"Took you almost a week. Didja get her?"

"She put up a fight, but she went down. They always do."

He shrugged. "Shower should be open. Go get yourself cleaned up."

The blond grunted a reply and strode towards the door of the small, three-bedroom house. Zack turned back to his training, swinging his oversize blade with inhuman strength.

A shrill -and distinctly feminine- scream echoed from the house, forcing Zack to turn on his heel and run for the door. _That sounded like… Tifa!_ He threw the door open to find her leaning against the kitchen counter, eyes wide and full of panic, Barret and Reeve watching uselessly, and Marlene sitting on the floor, watching with a doll in her hand.

Cloud stood before Tifa, one hand bracing the counter, the other raised but hidden from Zack's view. His chin was tilted near her face with his lips almost touching her cheek.

Zack closed the distance between them in a few short strides, shouting, "Cloud! What the _hell_ are you doing!?"

His friend leaned back, face impassive, and replied, "Just getting to know our new friend is all. Nothing to be alarmed about." He turned, retreating to the stairs and disappeared from sight without another word.

Tifa's shoulders shook, her knees giving out beneath her as she dropped to the floor. Zack was at her side in seconds with a hand on her shoulder. "Tifa? Are you alright? What did he do to you?"

She bit her lip, chin quivering with the approach of tears, and stuttered, "He… He…"

"Tifa. It's okay. What did he say?"

"He…He… scared me… I… I'm afraid, Zack."

"Tifa…" _Damn it, Cloud… What the hell is wrong with you? _He held a hand towards her. "C'mon. Let's go get some fresh air."

She nodded slowly and took his hand as he pulled her to her feet. "Okay. Thank you, Zack."

He heard the sound of the shower start upstairs and pulled her from the house. They walked side-by-side for awhile before Zack realized her was still holding her hand. He let go and scratched the back of his head awkwardly with his other hand.

She blushed slightly and reached out to take his hand back in hers. A small smile graced her tear-stained face as they walked down random streets in the rustic town.

Zack glanced around, reflecting on his childhood while trying to figure out what to say to Tifa. His memories started to flow back in a rush, the emotional impact causing his shoulders to jerk as he stopped abruptly.

_A ten-year-old version of himself watching his younger brother's baptism, a family friend holding the boy as she was announced his godmother._

_His mother and the same family friend making dinner while twelve-year-old Zack played with his three-year-old brother._

_His father showing him how to wield a sword at the age of sixteen so he could 'protect his future wife.'_

_The day he turned eighteen, when a traveler showed up at their front door, demanding that their family friend be surrendered._

_His parents denying the stranger's request and forcing him away._

_His home in flames just two days later._

_The smell of smoke as he struggled through the thick blanket of black to find his family, only to discover it was the woman they were trying to protect who did this to them._

_The pain as she fired a spell directly into him, sending him backwards._

_The sight of the stranger forcing his way between himself and the woman, holding a sword at the ready._

_Waking up two and a half weeks later with blurred memories._

_The stranger coming into the room with charred clothes, explaining that Zack's family was dead and that he almost died as well._

_Discovering that the only way he had survived was by receiving an impromptu blood transplant from a hunter, effectively giving him the power of one._

_Learning the way of the hunter under the stranger who saved his life._

"Zack?"

"Huh?" He turned to find Tifa watching him intently.

She cocked her head. "Are you alright? You faded out for awhile there…"

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm okay." He averted his gaze from hers. "I was just… remembering."

She nodded. "I understand."

"So…" He scratched the back of his head again. "Cloud… He's a purebred hunter… His family's been hunters for the last three hundred years, at least. Sometimes, his ego gets the better of him. I'm really sorry about that."

"Why did he say he could smell my fear?"

"He said that?"

She nodded. "Mm."

"As a purebred, his senses have always been sharper than mine. Hell, his are better than Barret's and Reeve's, too. Sometimes, he can pick up on strong human emotions."

"Why would Barret's and Reeve's senses be stronger than yours?"

"I'm… not a real hunter. I was born a run-of-the-mill human… I… got in an accident and Cloud saved me by giving me some of his blood. Don't ask me how he did it, but I'm alive now because of him. "

"I see… Didn't you try to fight the powers?"

"Why would I?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"My… My family was killed then… My parents… My little brother, Denzel… They were killed…"

"I'm sorry…"

"The 'accident'… My family was betrayed by our closest family friend. She was a witch. She betrayed us… She killed them. Now, I just want to see every witch dead. To free the rest of the world from those god-forsaken tyrants. I'll use this gift that I've been given to make that vision real."

"But… Don't you think there might be good witches?"

"I thought _she_ was a good witch… Look at how that turned out."

"I see."

He shook his head, taking a few steps to stand in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Regardless, I'll make sure Cloud doesn't do anything to you, okay?"

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Thank you, Zack."

He stood in silence, looking her in the eye, and gave her shoulders a brief squeeze. Her chin tipped slightly upwards, prompting him closer. Accepting her invitation, he leaned down and felt her breath on his lips as he came closer.

"Zack!"

They flew apart, blushes lighting both of their faces, and turned in the direction of the sweet and innocent voice that had spoken his name. Zack raised an eyebrow, "Marlene? What are you doing out here alone?"

She stuck her hands on her hips and glared. "Tifa missed the meeting!"

Zack turned to the woman still in his hold. "Tifa?"

She laughed, her tears forgotten. "Marlene and I decided to meet every afternoon with 'top-secret girl stuff' topics."

Disinterest showed on his face immediately. "Oh."

She lowered her voice to keep the child from hearing. "Marlene looked like she needed another girl besides herself. I was here, so I offered to be her friend."

"Ah. Well, you better not keep your partner waiting… She looks pretty angry."

"Yeah." She stayed put. "I should probably go…"

The little girl stamped her foot. "Tifa!"

"I'm coming…" She pulled Zack's hands off her arms reluctantly. "I'll… see you tonight, then."

"Yeah, tonight."

***

_She broke free from the woods and slowed to a stop, glancing in every direction. She called out, "Vincent! Vincent! Where are you!?"_

_She waited, listening for a response, and sighed in defeat when she received none. She turned and found her way to the street, whispering under her breath, "I'm… all alone…"_

_Fighting back tears, she made her way towards the mountains in the distance, hoping she could cross them before too much time and food was lost._

***

Zack yawned and stretched in his place on the couch, stretching his back while turning to face Tifa. "So, how'd 'girl-time' go?"

She smiled secretively. "It's girl-time, Zack… Do you really want to know?"

He shrugged. "I guess not."

She giggled and shifted her place on the couch. "I… think I should probably go to bed… It's getting late."

Zack stood up. "Sounds good!" He clapped his hands together. "Marlene! You, too!"

The little girl stuck her tongue out. "I'll go when Daddy tells me to!"

"But your daddy isn't here tonight… He's working."

"I know!"

"Marlene, you know you're not supposed to stay up too late."

"Yeah, yeah… I'll go sleep in Daddy's big bed… All alone…"

Reeve gave a little chuckle. "Why don't you sleep in my bed? I seem to have misplaced my Cait Sith and I'll need something to hug in case of a nightmare."

Zack burst out laughing. "Aw, man, Reeve…"

The older man shot him a harsh look as Marlene ran over to get a hug from him. "I'll have you know, I like sleeping with a stuffed cat still."

Even Tifa started to laugh, but stopped abruptly as the back door opened and soft footsteps entered. All eyes lifted to look as Cloud walked in with his eyes to the floor and his sword on his shoulder. He turned and went straight for the stairs, disappearing from sight. Tifa released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and watched as Reeve and Marlene went up after him.

Zack looked down at her, smiling at the way she'd moved against his side unconsciously. "So… You want to head to bed, too?"

Without even taking her actions into account, she turned and buried her face in his chest. "I'm scared, Zack."

He stood, slowly lifting her in his capable arms. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you, okay?"

She nodded slowly, resting her head on his shoulder now. "Okay."

He hoisted her up a little to get a better hold before carrying her to the stairs. Walking past his bedroom, he glared over Tifa's head at the blond man sitting on the bed inside. Zack kept going and stopped at the door to what had become Tifa's and Marlene's room. He set her down on the bed and braced a leg on the edge before swinging his other over her. Shifting his position a little, he laid down behind her on the twin bed and set a hand on her stomach to pull her close.

She stiffened under his hold for a moment before letting herself relax into him. "Zack…" she whispered, "You're like everyone's brother, aren't you?"

He sighed for a moment, resisting his urge to kiss her hair. "Uh… Yeah. Brother."

A moment later, Tifa's breathing evened off as she entered the realms of sleep. He gently smoothed his hand over her hair, whispering in a voiceless whisper, "Damn it, Tifa… What is it about you…? I mean, any man would be a fool to say you're not beautiful… But this… this feeling…" He hummed a pathetic sound before his thoughts faded out to senseless murmuring.

***

_She wandered down the barren path, trying to focus on placing one step ahead of the other. Hunger tore at her insides, threatening to steal her sliver of consciousness away. She pulled her cloak around her shoulders and ran a hand over her stomach, feeling the reassurance of her hope one more time._

_Her vision blurred before she collapsed in the dirt._

***

Zack woke up the next morning with a yawn, instantly choking on the locks of hair he inhaled. He jumped to a sitting position, grabbing at the hair while gagging. A feminine yelp sounded next to him as Tifa jumped awake, searching frantically for the source of her arousal. Zack finished spitting her hair out and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Tifa… I didn't mean to wake you…"

She shook her head with a smile. "Don't worry, Zack. I was waking up, anyway."

He gave her a cross look. "You were not."

She chuckled. "You're right. I wasn't. But I should've been. I need to shower and make breakfast before Marlene and I go and have girl-time."

His hand casually slipped around her waist, causing her to flinch. He pulled back and mumbled a quick, "I'm sorry… I won't…"

She turned to him, shock making her eyes larger than they should be. "Zack, what are you-?"

They sat side-by-side, hip-to-hip, with Zack's arm crossing behind her to support himself. He raised a hand to tip her chin up towards his. "You didn't seem to mind yesterday…"

Her eyes grew wider and her lips trembled as she whispered, "Zack… I…"

"Tifa…" he spoke her name softly before leaning down to seal his lips over hers. Her back arched upon the contact, pressing her lips to his in a response to his advances. He kissed her tenderly, wrapping his arm around her again to settle his hand on her hip. Her left hand came up slowly to caress his cheek before slipping down his jaw to rest on his shoulder. She twisted slightly to turn into him, relishing in the feeling of protection she got from him.

He pulled back, looking down at her, with ragged breathing. "Tifa…"

She blushed and forced her gaze away from his electric blue eyes. "Zack, I…"

Concern flooded his mind at the shamed look on her face. "Tifa? Are you alright? Should I… not have done that? Do you… have someone? Waiting for you?"

She shook her head. "That's not it, Zack…"

"Then what is it? You can tell me, Tifa."

Her head shook back and forth with more ferocity. "No, I can't, Zack. I… I want to, but I can't."

"Tifa…" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I don't care what is. Just promise me you won't run out on me, okay?"

"Zack, I…"

"Promise me, Teef."

"I promise, Zack."

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed so far! I have part two almost done… A day at grandma's house without internet and an excited muse is a powerful thing. Please review and let me know what you think!

-Valk


	2. Chapter 2

_**Fill My Blank Page**_

By request of Valentine'sNinja, here is the second part of a prompt-slash-giftfic. The prompt itself was a Zack/Tifa romance with Tifa as a witch and Zack as a witch hunter.

Yay! V-Ninja posted the first couple parts of her fic for me! It's a Cloud/Tifa called 'Coming Undone'! Go check it out! Well, it's rated 'M,' so only check it out if you're old enough.

I know I said I had this chapter almost done back in November, but let me just say that my semester got really rough then, and then the holidays came, I got my wisdom teeth removed, my new semester started, I got to writing the series for Blood, Sweat, and Tears… It's been a hectic time for me, but what matters is that this is here now, right? Enjoy!

Title and summary are lyrics of 'Cadence of Her Last Breath' by Nightwish.

**Summary:** Running for her life, the dark rain from her eyes still falls. Breathtaking butterfly chose a dark day to live.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy VII, any of its spin-offs, or Nightwish.

***

Zack sighed and looked to his closest friend for the past six years. He rubbed his thumb on the edge of his tea mug and cleared his throat. The blond across the table looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "What is it, Zack?"

Zack sighed again and leaned forward on the table. "I don't get it, Cloud. Tifa's been living with us and been my girlfriend for two months now and you still treat her like some sort of monster. Why?"

Cloud raised his own mug to his lips briefly before answering. "It's not 'monster' so much as 'witch.'"

"Don't be ridiculous, Cloud! I might not have the strongest senses, but even I can sense a witch when she's right next to me!"

"What you say doesn't change what I sense. It's very faint, but the calling is still there."

Zack slammed his mug onto the table. "I don't believe what I'm hearing! Cloud, you serious?!"

His friend shrugged. "It's what I sense. Prove me wrong and I'll apologize then."

"God!" Zack stood from his seat, glaring at Cloud all the while. "I don't believe you!"

***

Tifa sat on the floor of the small clearing with a smile. "Okay, Marlene. Show me what you've learned so far."

The child before her picked a stick off the ground next to her and started to draw complicated and foreign runes into the dirt. She started to mumble vague enchantments, "Yeghsha nocta intrianis tobular…"

The symbols in the ground began to glow and a moment later, a small patch of flowers sprouted in the center of the carving.

Tifa smiled and nodded her approval. "Good job, Marlene! You've been doing so well!"

She smiled up at her teacher. "You think so, Tifa?"

"I know so." She stood up. "Come on, let's head home."

"Okay!" Marlene jumped to her feet and took Tifa's outstretched hand as they walked home together.

***

Zack pulled into a ready stance in the yard behind his home, holding his sword firmly for practice. He dropped it down to his side. _This is pointless. I never fight, anyway… Maybe I should practice on honing my senses._

He sighed and let out a frustrated groan before turning to the house. Marching inside, he leaned his sword by the door and waited for Tifa and Marlene to come home. He'd talk to Tifa himself about what Cloud had said.

***

Tifa stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. She walked over and rubbed a hole in the mirror out of the fog misting over it. Grabbing a comb, she started sorting through her hair and yanking all the knots out. She bit her lip, knowing full well that Zack and Cloud were both home and might be able to feel her. Digging into the center of her bundle of clothes, she pulled a small jar of ink and a thin-tipped paint brush from inside. She pulled her towel apart and examined the fading ink on her flat stomach.

She opened the jar and dipped her brush inside, slowly darkening the pattern painted on her body. With each rune she reapplied, she felt herself relax more and more. She knew full well that it was because of this spell on her belly that kept Zack and the others from sensing her true nature. Even Cloud, a purebred, hadn't been able to sense her beyond a feeling of uneasiness. He'd threatened her the first day they'd met, but without proof of who she was, he couldn't do a thing.

Tifa put her brush and ink away, setting her towel over her shoulders while the ink dried. Without warning, the door to the bathroom started to open and she gasped, pulling her towel around herself.

Zack walked a few steps in before realizing the bathroom was occupied and turned to slam the door while mumbling a rushed apology. "I'm sorry, Teef! I didn't mean to-! I didn't know you were in there!"

She kept her back turned, her body hidden by her towel, and her knees bent inward together in a slightly protective stance. The sound of Zack's footsteps faded down the hall and still she stayed in that position. It took a good ten minutes before she finally allowed herself to move, knowing it was almost game over for her. If Zack had seen the spell on her body, he never would've forgiven her.

***

The front door clicked shut as Cloud left to go on another one of his week-or-more searches where he wandered aimlessly until he located a witch. Zack sat back on the bed he and Tifa had started to share with his fingers crossed behind his neck. He started to doze off into a light sleep when a soft rap sounded from the front door. Zack pulled himself off the bed and headed for the lower level. _Geez, Cloud… Didja forget your keys again?_

He opened the door, puzzled to find a tall, pale-skinned man with long dark hair. They both stood in silence for a moment until Zack finally broke the ice with a scratch to the back of his head. "Um… Can I help you?"

The new man nodded slowly. "I am in search of a woman named Tifa. She is very dear to me and I can't seem to find her."

_No one else, my ass! _Zack crossed his arms and glared at the stranger. "If she's that important, why'd you let her get away?"

"We were separated. There was nothing I could do other than what I have done."

"Which is…?"

"Search town-by-town, knocking on doors and asking for her. If you have not seen her, then I shall take my leave of you." He nodded and turned to leave.

Zack sighed. "Oh, wait a sec! If you just-" He was cut off as a melodious voice filled the air, "Vincent! Is that really you?!"

Seconds later, Tifa appeared down the way, running towards the dark-haired man with Marlene struggling to keep up. She threw her arms around the man's neck and squeezed tightly. "Oh, Vincent! I never thought I would see you again!"

The other man, Vincent, set a hand on her back. "It does me great joy to see you well, Tifa. Now I can return to Shera's and Lucrecia's graves with good news."

She loosened her hold on him and looked down, still oblivious to Zack's presence. "I… tried to keep their memory. I hope they aren't angry with me…"

"They will be happy as long as you continue to live. They will not judge. Now come. We would be best to leave."

"But-! I have a home and friends here!"

Zack crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. "Just friends, huh?"

Her attention snapped up to him, finally seeing him. "Zack, no! That's not what I meant! I…" She gestured between the two men. "Zack, this is Vincent. Vincent, this is Zack… He let me live here with him and his friends."

Vincent nodded once and extended a hand for Zack to take. "I must thank you for taking care of Tifa."

"Yeah…" Zack accepted the gesture and averted his gaze. "Take care of her, you hear?"

Tifa bit her lip with tears in her eyes. "Zack… What are you saying…?"

"You belong with Vincent. Go on. I know you want to be with him."

She looked back and forth between them. "I can't even come and visit you?"

"Listen to yourself! You knew from the beginning that these living arrangements were only temporary. Everything… here… was only temporary…"

"Zack… I… I don't want to leave you! Like Vincent said; Shera and Lucrecia will be happy if I just live my life… It doesn't matter to them who it's with…!"

"But you want Vincent, right?"

Tifa's eyes widened. "Zack, I-!"

Vincent coughed a laugh-like sound. "You misunderstand. You believe Tifa and I to be intimate, no?"

He scratched the back of his head. "You're not?"

"We are not. Tifa and her sisters saved my life years ago. I am more of a… brother to them."

"Seriously?"

Tifa nodded and, with tears still in her eyes, managed a soft smile. "Zack, I… You're the one I want to be with."

"So, ah…" Zack ran a hand through his hair. "What now? Do you live nearby, Vincent?"

"We live nowhere. My traveling companion and I have searched relentlessly for Tifa and have not bothered to find a home."

"Well, uh, there's not much room here, but I can sense you're a hunter, so if your friend is, too, we could make room…"

Vincent shook his head slowly. "My friend is not a hunter, nor would she be comfortable in this sort of abode."

"Oh, so you're friend is a girl…? I guess she can't be a hunter, then…"

Vincent gave a small smile. "Yes, that would be… unusual."

"So, ah, you want to come in? I bet you guys have a lot to catch up on."

"I do not think that is necessary. I believe, if Tifa does not mind, that we shall track our friend down and perhaps get some lunch."

Tifa smiled. "That sounds great, Vincent. Let me just get cleaned up and I'll be right down."

Zack stepped back and watched as she ran inside and up the stairs before turning back to Vincent. "So… you take care of her, alright?"

Vincent nodded once again. "Of course. I shall protect her with all I have. Especially after I failed with Shera and Lucrecia…"

"Ah… I get it…"

They stood in silence for a moment until Vincent spoke again, "You care deeply for her, don't you?"

Zack looked up at him. "Yeah, I do."

"Then it is I who should say 'take good care of her,' no?"

He gave a small laugh. "Me an' Tifa aren't there just yet, but I will, anyway. No worries, man."

"Did you not say you care for her?"

"Well, yeah, but I haven't… I haven't told her yet."

"I see. Then I will not speak of this with her. I will trust you, one hunter to another."

"Great!"

Tifa's voice sounded behind him. "Hey, Vincent, I'm all set!"

Zack turned to face her, a smile growing as he took in her beauty. "Take care, Teef."

She walked up next to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I will. You, too, Zack. Don't forget, it's Marlene's bath time."

"Yeah, yeah, Teef. I know. I've been helping her with her baths for a long time before you came!" He pulled her against his body in a tight hug and kissed her hair before moving down to take her lips.

She kissed him back, angling her neck to breech the variance in height. Pulling back slowly, she smiled up at him with a look full of beauty and innocence. "I'll be back later, Zack. Before bed, if nothing else."

"Alright. You guys have fun!"

Tifa looked back over her shoulder as she walked off with Vincent. "We will!"

***

She passed through the town, walking beside Vincent as he led her towards the mountains. Tifa followed him as he trudged along the barren paths, turning to clamber up a rough patch and into a small, naturally made tunnel in the mountainside. Tifa followed him, the distinct voice of their mutual friend shouting, "'Bout time, Vince! I've been bored outta my mind in here!"

Tifa smiled despite herself and called out to the younger witch, "Yuffie? Is that you?"

A screech came as her reply, "Tifa!?!?!? I can't believe it! You're okay! Vincent said hunters were in there! I guess the spell worked, huh? How've you been? Where've you been staying? How long have you been here? Were you lonely without me?"

Tifa laughed, never once sick of her chatterbox friend's insistent questioning. "I've been fine, Yuffie. I've been staying with some friends that saved me."

"Oh, are you alright? I mean, you didn't run into any hunters, didja?"

"Um… Not literally…"

"What does that mean, Tifa?"

"It means that the man who saved me is a hunter and so are all of his friends."

Yuffie's jaw hit the floor. "Are you _crazy!?_ What sort of insane witch lives right under a hunter's nose?"

Her eyes looked to the ground. "One who's given her heart to a hunter."

"What the hell, Tifa? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?!"

"Of course I do, Yuffie!"

"So why in the name of all things holy are you still there?!"

"Because…" She raised her eyes back to Yuffie's. "I… care about him. I just want to be with him."

"Oh, geez. This just gets better and better."

"I'm fine. I have the invisibility spell… He never has to know."

"Oh, and what'll you tell him when you're ready to get naked? That it's just a tribal marking?"

"Yuffie! That… That's not entirely false…"

"But will he believe you?"

"Yuffie, that's… We just won't ever get naked."

"Oh… Good luck with that one. He's a man, Tifa. A _man._ They can't live forever without sex. No offense, Vince."

His eyebrows rose simultaneously. "None taken."

Tifa felt tears prick at her eyes. "I know I'm in trouble, Yuffie. I don't need you to tell me."

"Tifa… All I'm saying is that you're nuts."

"I know, Yuffie. I know!" She turned and ran from their small hideaway, climbing down the rock and running for town.

***

Zack knelt by the tub, absent-mindedly shampooing Marlene's hair while his mind wandered to Tifa. For the third time that night, Marlene reached up and pushed the soap away from her eyes. "Zack? Can you focus a little more? I don't really want to go blind at the age of seven."

He looked down. "Oh, sorry, Marlene. I've just been thinking."

"What're you thinking about?"

"Ah, nothing."

"Come on, Zack. You can tell me…" She looked up at him with big, brown, puppy-dog eyes.

He resisted for a moment before giving in. "Oh, fine! I was thinking about Tifa."

She grinned. "I knew it."

"How?!"

"Because Tifa gets that same look when she thinks about you."

Zack felt his heart soar. "Really?"

She nodded once, and then reached up to push more soap back. "Yeah. Why? Is it important?"

"Yeah!"

"Why?"

"Because it mean Tifa likes me as much as I like her!"

The little girl gave him a confused expression. "Okay…"

"It's a big important adult thing, okay? You have a few more years before you have to worry."

She shrugged. "Okay. Can you get this shampoo out of my hair now?"

***

Tifa ran all the way home, not really sure what to do after that. Zack would ask why she'd been crying. She shivered in the fall weather and decided it didn't matter. She pulled the screen door open and walked inside, pausing to pull her boots off before wandering into the living room. She fell onto the couch without noticing that Zack was already on it. Her face made contact with his leg and his hand in her hair only made her cry harder. He stroked her brown tresses lovingly and spoke with worry in his tone, "Tifa? Are you alright? What happened?"

Her tears came faster as she buried her face in his thigh. "Z-Zack… I…"

His hand smoothed over her with more and more tenderness. "Tifa, what's wrong? I can't help unless you tell me what's wrong…"

"I can't tell you, Zack… Please, just…"

"Tifa, you still can't trust me? What do I have to do to prove it to you?"

"It's not that, Zack… I trust you too much. I just… I need you…"

"I need you, too, Teef."

She shook her head back and forth against his thigh. "I need you to…"

"Shh… Teef…" He set his hands under her arms and lifted her into his lap, gently whispering into her ear. "It's okay, Teef. Everything will be just fine. There's… something I have to tell you, Teef. I guess now isn't the best time, but…"

She sniffled against his shoulder and croaked out, "Zack…?"

He swallowed, gathering all his courage. "I…" He sighed as he lost his nerve. "It's nothing, Tifa."

Her eyes, still full of tears, rose to look into his. "Zack…?"

"Shh… Don't say anything. Just… calm down, okay? Can you tell me why you're crying?" He pressed a kiss to her hair and ran his fingers through the dark tresses.

"I-I can't…"

"Promise me you'll tell me someday?"

"Y-Yeah…"

He cracked the tiniest of smiles. "You promise?"

"I promise…"

"Good." He pulled himself to his feet, holding Tifa securely in his arms. "Come on, let's go to bed."

"O-Okay…"

***

Zack woke up in the twin-sized bed with Tifa nowhere to be found. He climbed out of bed and wandered downstairs to find Reeve sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in his hands. He looked up at Zack and laughed. "Good Lord, man! You look like you were run over by a hoard of Cloud's fangirls!"

Zack paused with his hand on the door to the refrigerator. "Cloud has fangirls? Why have I never heard about this?"

"Because you never leave the house anymore unless it's with Tifa; and when you're with her, it's as though all other women don't even exist."

Zack scratched the back of his head. "So _why_ does Cloud have a fanclub?"

"Because he goes out and risks life and limb to fight witches and, according to the girls of the town, looks 'incredibly hot in doing so.'"

Zack nodded slowly. "Ah. Gotcha. New subject, Reeve. Please."

The bearded man laughed. "Of course. I find it a bit disturbing myself. Anyway, you look like a wreck. You do know you slept until two in the afternoon, right?"

Zack looked up at the clock on the wall. "Holy… So Tifa already left with Marlene, then?"

Reeve hummed his response against the rim of his mug, "Mm-hm…"

"Crap."

"Why?"

"She was upset when she came in yesterday… An' I wanted to know how she was doing today…"

"Mm. I think she and Marlene were in the forest if you wanted to go see them."

"I might do that." He grinned as he poured himself juice. "Thanks, Reeve."

"Of course."

***

Tifa sat with Marlene in their clearing, showing her how to etch runes for a recovery spell. She moved a stick through the dirt, demonstrating each step for the spell. Marlene watched intently, memorizing each motion.

Tifa smiled as she finished and mumbled the brief incantation to accompany the runes. A moment later, the injured bird they'd found perked up and, with a brief look at Tifa, turned and flew away.

Marlene watched it fly away while grinning from ear-to-ear. "Wo-ow! That was _so_ cool! Teach me! Teach me! Teach me!"

"Teach you what?"

Tifa looked up as Zack pushed his way into the clearing with a smile of his own. She managed a weak smile and stood, discretely trying to rub the runes out of the dirt with her foot. "Hi, Zack… What brings you here?"

He grinned wider and said, "I just woke up a minute ago and decided to see what you were up to."

"Oh, not much. I was just showing Marlene a few things about nature." She prayed to the heavens that her voice didn't carry the fear she felt.

Marlene jumped forward. "You just missed it, Zack! Tifa just brought the birdie back from the dead!"

Tifa managed a small chuckle. "Marlene, the bird wasn't dead… He was sick. I just fed him and helped him get back on his feet."

Zack's grin widened. "Aw, that was sweet of you, Tifa."

She managed a weak smile as he made his way over to Marlene and bent down. "Hey, there, kiddo. What are you doing here?"

Tifa made slashing motions over her throat when she realized there were still runes etched in front of the child. She got the hint and said, "I was just drawing pictures. Aren't they pretty, Zack?"

His grin faded a tad when he realized what exactly Marlene had drawn. "Hey… These are…" He looked up at the woman present, knowing the young witch couldn't have known what runes were without someone to show her. "…Tifa?"

She felt her throat grow dry and struggled for something, anything, to say. "Um, Zack… I can explain!"

His Adam's apple shifted as he swallowed his spit. "You're… a witch… aren't you? Cloud was right… I can't believe it…"

"Zack, I…"

"Tifa, why… Why did you lie to me? Are you here to get inside of our group and kill us?"

"No, Zack! I would never-!"

"Then why?"

"I… It was pure coincidence. I…"

"Don't give me that! I… I trusted you… I _loved_ you. But you… you…"

"Zack, please!"

He turned on his heel and started walking. "Don't you dare set foot in my house again. One of us will kill you if you do. Maybe Barret, Reeve, an' me have all come t think of you as a friend, but I know Cloud wouldn't hesitate."

She felt her tears start to drift down her cheeks and her knees buckle out beneath her. "Zack, wait…! I love you…!"

* * *

I'm so sorry, V-Ninja… It takes me so long to finally update and I give you this… I fail so epically, it hurts. Ah, well. I promise things will get better in the next chapter. This is rated teen, so they won't get _that_ much better, but it'll still get better. I've decided that this will probably be three chapters and an epilogue, unless I can't think of enough for the next chapter. In which case, I'll just include the epilogue into the next chapter, but I'm looking at four chapters right now.

Please review!

-Valk


	3. Chapter 3

_**Fill My Blank Page**_

I couldn't sleep one night, so, after going to bed at about three a.m, I stayed up and thumbed most of this chapter out on my iPod. And, if you're reading, Topaz, I didn't lie. There's no MS Word app on there. I just opened my e-mail and wrote it out as a freakishly long message before sending it to myself so I could get it on my computer.

…And eight months later, I open this file to find it's almost done -_-

Enjoy!

**Summary:** Running for her life, the dark rain from her eyes still falls. Breathtaking butterfly chose a dark day to live.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy VII, any of its spin-offs, or Nightwish.

* * *

Yuffie sat on the floor of the small cave, swirling a mist of green smoke between her palms before it suddenly disappeared. She pouted at the failed spell and glanced over at her best friend. "I still don't get why you guys couldn't teach me spells. I mean, you were teaching that little girl you were staying with."

A strong burst of tears was her only reply and she glanced over to see Tifa curled into a ball, crying into her knees. Vincent sat beside her, gently stroking her shoulder with his metallic hand. Yuffie felt a pang of guilt and slowly crawled closer to hug the other woman. "I'm sorry, Teefs. I didn't mean to sound so mean... Can I do anything to make it up?"

Tifa sniffled back her tears and managed to say, "He hates me... He hates me because of what I am..."

Vincent sighed softly and whispered, "Give him time to adjust, Tifa. He just needs to get used to the idea. Perhaps he would be willing to exchange blood with one of you as I have done so that he can live comfortably with you."

"No..." Tifa pulled herself to her feet and her shoulders shook, anger quickly replacing tears. "He'll never accept me again. His family was killed by a witch and now he wants me dead, too!" She gave a loud screech of distress and floated off her feet, zipping out of the cavern a moment later.

...

Zack sat on his bed with the door closed, holding his head in his hands. _Damn it... I can't believe Tifa's a witch! Of all the people... But why couldn't we sense her? Not even Cloud could..._

"It looks like they've one-upped us."

Zack looked up to see Cloud standing in the now-open door, holding a small leather case in one hand and a lockpick in the other. With a raised eyebrow, he explained, "You don't think I get into those witches' homes by asking for tea, do you?"

He shook his head and fell back to the pillow, jumping up when he smelled Tifa still on it. With a sigh, he asked, "What did you want?"

The blond slipped the pick onto the case and attached it to his belt before walking in and leaning against the wall opposite Zack. "I knew something was off about that one, but I couldn't place it. I don't know how she managed to hide her inheritance from us, but now that we know, we-"

Zack jumped to his feet and shouted, "No! We can't hurt her... She-"

"-s a witch, right?"

He dropped back to the bed and closed his eyes. "Yeah, she is, but..."

"But...?"

"But I'm in love with her."

Cloud sighed. "I figured as much. Fine, then. I'll give you two choices." He held up his fingers as visual aid. "You can either stay here and pout about it while Barret, Reeve, and I go kill her, or you can kill her yourself. Which would you rather?"

Zack blinked back his tears and opened mouth to say something before jumping to his feet when a crash sounded outside. A tingle ran down his spine and, together, they both faced the window.

Quietly, almost inaudibly, Cloud hissed, "She's here."

...

Zack ran out to the main square of Nibelheim with his hefty sword on his back. Cloud was already there with blood running down the side of his face from a bludgeon-like wound above his left eyebrow. He held his sword at the ready as he faced his opponent with a snarl and a thirsty blade.

The raven-haired man's gaze shifted up to look at the brunette floating a good ten feet off the ground, arms and legs poised as if she were being crucified. Her eyes glowed a vicious red and her body emitted a similarly colored aura. Vermillion bolts shot straight from her flesh, dissipating into nothing only a few seconds after leaving her.

Tifa raised one arm beside her head and, with a quick incantation, threw an ice spell at Cloud. He dodged to the side and positioned himself so he'd land on the sturdy wall of a nearby shop. Using that as leverage, he bounced off and propelled himself toward Tifa with his blade held parallel to him to reduce drag and still be in an efficient hold.

Zack ran forward, shouting, "No!"

A chilled hand on his shoulder stopped him and he looked over to see the same dark-haired and pasty-skinned man from before beside him. A young Wutai girl ran up behind him with eau de witch surrounding her and she panted as she came to a stop. "Geez, Vince... Slow down, wouldja?"

Vincent didn't say a word, instead keeping his focus on Zack. "You're what she wants. Tell her what is on your mind. She will listen, but only to you."

Zack blinked his tears back once more and turned back to the fight, afraid of what he might see. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when neither his lover nor his mentor seemed fatally harmed. He took a step closer and, hoping Tifa could hear him, called out, "Tifa! I don't hate you! I love you! I could never hate you! I... I'm just confused and... and maybe a little scared. You have to understand... My family... Denzel... They were all killed by her... It's hard for me to trust a witch, but, for you, I want to try. Can you come down and stop hurting people so we can talk?"

Instead of landing, she fired a crimson lightning bolt straight towards Zack. He stood tall to accept the blast as it shot closer to his heart. _Is this your choice, Teef? So be it. I love you._

Two pale shadows of nude women with ponytails appeared in front of him and wove their arms together, shielding him from the blast. They disappeared as quickly as they came before reappearing In front of Tifa. They shook her shoulders and whispered in a garbled language Zack couldn't understand and, slowly, the redness around Tifa began to fade as she dropped to the ground.

She landed on wobbly legs before they gave out and she fell to her knees. Zack ran closer and dropped down next her, pulling her against him as Cloud scowled at their interactions. He sheathed his blade on his back and ran towards the closest building, jumping and grabbing hold of the drainpipe before flipping on top and running in the general direction of their house.

…

Tifa felt her eyelids droop as she stumbled down the road, Zack holding her tightly to his side. They arrived back at the house and he pressed her into a kitchen chair, turning on the kettle for tea and getting a blanket out of the linen closet to wrap over her shoulders. She pulled it around her and kept her eyes to the floor, completely at a loss for words.

A mug of warm tea set down in front of her and she managed to look up and meet his gaze, gulping down the lump forming in her throat. "Z-Zack… I know… I know you can't forgive me for what I am. I just… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten angry like that. Yuffie was just treading on sensitive waters and-"

"Tifa."

She looked up as he sat down beside her and took her hand resting on the table. He sighed and whispered, "Tifa, I don't have the right to forgive you. It's not my place to judge you for who you are. Yeah, it came as a shock when I found out, but I… I can still understand why you stayed silent. I want to accept you, but how can I? How can I trust you after…?"

"I don't know." Her head shook slightly as she tried to figure out what to say.

Footsteps sounded from the stairs and Cloud came down, a duffle bag over his shoulder, a backpack topped with a bedroll on his back, and his sword sheathed underneath the pack. He avoided looking at Tifa, even going out of his way to look elsewhere. Finally, he spoke, "Zack. I can't sit here, knowing that I gave you my blood so you could live, only for you to waste that life with one of _them._ I'm heading out and I won't come back as long as _she's_ here. Goodbye."

Zack opened his mouth to protest, but clamped it shut as the door slammed closed behind his best friend.

…

The clattering sound of an old carriage pulled up outside the door and Zack looked up from the dishes. "Hunter." He turned to the woman next to him and nodded toward the stairs, indicating for her to go hide. She did as she was told, drying her hands off with the towel as she went. A knock sounded from the door and, after Tifa was safely out of sight, Zack moved to answer it. He pulled it open and greeted, "Hey! How can I-?" He stopped mid-sentence when he recognized the visitor. "Reeve!"

The bearded man gave a bittersweet smile. "It's good to see you, Zack. How are Tifa and Marlene?"

He shifted to block the door a little and Reeve raised his hands. "Don't worry. I'm not here to fight. I came with a message."

"Oh." He stepped back and called up the stairs, "It's clear, Teef!"

Tifa walked down the stairs with Marlene and a young, black-haired boy on her arm. She smiled when she saw Reeve and said, "Hi, Reeve. How have you been?"

"As well as one could be."

Marlene ran forward and threw her eleven-year-old body at him in a tight hug. "I missed you, Reeve!"

He hugged her back and she slowly moved back and sat at the table, watching the adults and the two-year-old boy with interest. Reeve eyed the boy and bent down to look at him. "And who might you be?"

Zack grinned, wrapping an arm around Tifa's waist and opening his mouth to speak, stopping when the back door burst open and Vincent ran in with his weapon aimed to fire. He stopped when saw Reeve and nodded a greeting, holstering his firearm again. "My apologies, Reeve. I sensed a hunter and I only wish to protect my wife and family."

Reeve's sad smile returned and he simply stated, "Understandable. No harm done."

Vincent nodded and, after a wave from his foster sister, he left. Zack turned back to his former roommate and continued his introduction with his arm still around Tifa's waist, "Anyway, Reeve, I'd like you to meet our son, Cloud."

He smiled and held the little boy's hand and gave it a slight shake. "A pleasure to meet you, Cloud. Named after the legendary hunter, no doubt?"

Zack nodded as Tifa set the boy down. Little Cloud toddled over to Marlene working on her homework and grabbed a handful of her skirt to get her attention. The adults gave a laugh and Tifa said, "Hey, Marlene, could you go help Cloud pick out a toy to show Reeve?"

Marlene got the hint and packed up her witch studies. She slung her bag over her shoulder and picked up Cloud, carrying him upstairs and pulling the safety gate closed behind her.

Zack and Tifa turned back to Reeve and he sighed. "The message I bring is not a happy one. I wish I could visit under better circumstances, but I was asked to come here on a favor of a mutual friend. First, this is for you." He reached back and pulled a small pouch off his belt and handed it to Zack.

He opened it and reached inside, pulling out a long bunch of brown hair tied into a braid. The pink ribbon tied to one end was floppy and stained with blood. He fingered it for a moment and raised his eyes to Reeve's. "This is… Who did this?"

Tifa touched his arm. "What is it, Zack?"

"This… This was the ribbon—and hair—to the woman who killed my family. She got away all those years ago and I never knew what happened to her."

Reeve looked at his boots and sighed. "Neither did we, until now."

Zack threw the braid into the fireplace and turned back to Reeve. "Who did it?"

"Cloud did."

"Where is he now?"

He nodded towards the door. "Come here. I have something for you in the carriage."

Tifa turned and called up the stairs to let the kids know where they were and the couple followed the older man out the door and out to his caravan. Reeve opened the back and gestured to a single package lying on the floor, wrapped in brown paper. Zack hopped up and knelt down by it before slowly ripping the packaging. He opened the large, oblong box and froze, staring at the contents.

His wife climbed up next to him and looked down, eyeing the large blade resting in the box, stained with blood. Zack reached out and gently touched the hilt, explaining, "This was Cloud's sword… He… He'd never let it out of his sight unless..."

Tifa wrapped her arms around him as Reeve filled in the blanks, "Cloud, Barret, and I hunted her for months. When we finally found her, we fought together. In the end, only Cloud could do anything… Barret and I did all we could, but as it was, all we could do was watch as he killed her. She managed to get a blow in before she went down and… We couldn't do a thing other than watch as he bled out… He gave us orders about what to do with his sword and asked us to make sure you got it, Zack."

"Damn it…" Zack sat down and wiped his hand across his eyes. "Why'd you have to…?"

Tifa held him closer, attempting to comfort her husband over the death of a man who'd once tried to kill her. Zack looked up at Reeve and asked, "Why me? Didn't he have a brother?"

Reeve shook his head. "He said that you were more of a brother to him than Rufus ever was. He wanted you to have it."

Zack stared at the blade in silence as Tifa asked, "Where's Barret? Marlene's missed him."

"He didn't feel right coming. He said that, in the end, he was still a hunter and now that Marlene is in a sisterhood with you and Yuffie, he was afraid he might sense her power and try to hurt her. He was more afraid of that than anything else."

"I see. Well, give him Marlene's and my best."

"I will. I should probably go…"

Zack looked up and, finally, spoke, "Where did you bury him?"

"Out in the mountains, up on the crest of the highest hill. It's a peaceful alcove surrounded by trees and, from a distance, it looks as though it touches his namesake. He always asked us to bury him as close to the heavens as we could on the day he would inevitably lose."

Zack closed the box and lifted it easily before hopping out of the carriage and helping his wife out. He silently walked to the house and left his more-than-capable witch of a wife with their hunter friend. She still wore the same spell on her body, protecting her from Reeve's urges to kill her. She turned to their guest as footsteps slowly approached and Yuffie came closer.

The Wutai witch asked somewhat hesitantly, "Um… Is everything okay? I saw Zack get all sad and stuff…"

Tifa turned to her sister and said quietly, "Cloud's dead, Yuff."

She gasped and threw her arms around her. "Oh, my God, Teef! Are you okay? Why didn't I hear sooner?"

Tifa pulled back with a small smile. "Not _my_ Cloud. Zack's old friend that our son is named after."

She blinked for a long moment. "Oh. Well, at least I know you're okay. Vincent told me Reeve was here and I was watching through the window. I was wondering what got Zack so upset… Wasn't that Cloud like a brother to him?"

"He insisted we named our son after him. They must have been really close. I only knew Cloud for about two months before he left."

Yuffie nodded her head towards the house. "Go on. Zack needs you now."

Tifa dipped her chin in response and turned to Reeve. "Thank you for coming. I know, in the end, Zack appreciates you coming to tell him."

The hunter hummed a small sound. "Barret and I wanted to bring the sword as soon as possible. If nothing else, we wanted him to know that woman was dead."

"Thanks again. I should go, but it's good to see you again, Reeve."

Yuffie bit her lip awkwardly before saying, "I'm gonna head back inside, too. Let me know if there's anything I can do, 'kay, Teef?"

"Thanks, Yuffie. Take care on the road, Reeve," she said before turning back to her house. Tifa opened the door and walked inside to find Zack sitting on the sofa, Cloud's sword resting across his lap. Making her way over, she sat beside him and set her hand on his. She was sorry Zack's friend was dead, but she couldn't bring herself to say she was sorry that the man who'd tried to kill her was dead.

"I haven't seen him since that day, but to know he's…"

Tifa touched her fingers to his lips. "Shh… Zack… It's all right. We have each other, we have our Cloud, we have our future. I know you'll carry his will as your own."

He shook his head. "No, I won't. His will was to destroy every witch. I won't ever do that, not without knowing if they're truly evil or not."

"Go to his grave. I know you won't sit still until you close things with him."

"No…" He stood, moving over to the closet and placing Cloud's sword on the rack with his own. "I won't. He'll live in my memory, as the mentor I remember."

* * *

Okay, okay, V-Ninja… I know this is WAY overdue, but your constant pestering finally paid off. Think of this as my congratulations gift for your recent endeavors! You are awesome, but you knew that.

With that said, please review!

-Valk

P.S. I will never again write Zack/Tifa, so please don't even ask. That just goes to show how much I love V-Ninja.


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